At Last I See The Light
by GroovyViewbie
Summary: Lydia Martin has been alone her entire life, wishing to leave the place in which she is trapped. Stiles has been on the run for hours looking for an escape when caught in his latest illegal activity. But when he climbs to his escape, could it be an opportunity for the young girl? Stydia AU based around Tangled.
1. Prologue

**A/N: **This is my first Stydia story. It's an AU based on the Disney film Tangled. Feedback is more than welcome, I will most likely continue anyway but it's encouraging to see people reading. I hope you enjoy.

**Disclamer: **I don't own any form of rights to teen wolf or tangled, all rights to the respective owners.

Prologue

For her, it all started when her mother was sick. Complications. Of course she wasn't born yet, had no idea of knowing this was the start of her journey, that the remedy for her mother's illness would make her desireable and that the woman she knew as mother was as far from it as possible. She'd grown up alone, the only comfort in the books she read and the lights that danced across the sky once a year.

For him it started eighteen years later. His mother had died when he was young of an incurable illness, no magical remedy, not that his father could afford it, even if there had been. Once she was gone, it didn't take his father long to become lost. What little money they had, he'd spent on liquor until he couldn't cope anymore.

The boy ended up in an orphanage until he was too old to stay there any longer. That's when he found he had a special skill in criminality and that is why he was currently on the run from the palace guards, not to mention Ethan and Aiden who he had royally screwed over by stealing their share in the stolen goods.

As he ran, he came across one of many wanted posters, grimacing at the inaccurate artwork. "Always the nose."

Not having chance to look for long, he stuffed the poster into his satchel, pushing through the foliage to escape the kings most trusted guard, McCall. As the shadow cast over him, a smirk overtook his features, opportunity obvious to him as he began the long journey to the top of the tower, everything going black as soon as his feet landed on solid ground.


	2. Chapter 1

**A/N: **I wasn't planning on updating so quickly but I have a week off of Uni and I got inspired to write some more. Thank you to xxRikkexx1 for the review, it made me feel all happy inside. Here's chapter one, I hope you enjoy.

Chapter 1

During her eighteen years locked in the tower, Lydia had got into a familiar routine. Wake up, do chores and then she read. It was the only thing she enjoyed in the tower, having read most of her books over and over again. Whether it was fictional stories about mermaids finding their voice, or non-fictional books teaching her about mathematics or physics, she read whatever her mother bought her. The last time mother Blake had returned, she'd bought stories of mystical creatures, a book she'd read at least three times in her mother's absence.

She was in the middle of brushing her long blonde hair when she heard her mother's voice ring out. Prada, her only companion, quickly scurried behind the closet, Jennifer not knowing about the small dog Lydia looked after.

Once she had pulled her mother up, she sat her down, rushing the process to restore her mother's youth and beauty. She felt her shock as her hair glowed a bright gold, the one short strand of red sticking out in the brightness. She turned with pursed lips, twisting the short strand around her finger as she found the words. "Mother, my birthday is coming up and I was thinking maybe I could leave to see the floating lights?"

The laughter filled the room almost instantly and it didn't long after for her mother to shoot down the idea. "You can't handle yourself out there darling. And I need you dear. I want you safe. You can see the stars from your window." She sighed, brushing her daughters hair as she looked around for reason. "Out there, there's monsters, other humans who want to take your hair and cut it, turn it that ugly red colour. Now, I have to go gather vegetables but I'll be back, you stay careful sweetheart." The tales of thugs and rogues were nothing new, having read of them before, but the way her mother spoke of them made them seem terrifying, made the tower seem a lot safer.

That's why when she heard footsteps, she'd grabbed the baseball bat that was leaning against the closet, hitting the boy the second he climbed inside. She watched him laying on the floor, Prada bounding over and poking his nose to the foreign creatures cheek. Lydia took a step closer, crouching down to inspect the boy. He didn't look menacing, but she wasn't that naive, knowing looks could be deceiving. However, she knew the opportunities that arose with his presence, dragging him over to the closet, excitement bubbling in her stomach at the proof to her mother that she could handle herself.

It was getting dark when her mother returned, the speech amd reveal of the boy practiced over and over by Lydia, both in her head and out loud to Prada, ready for every turn of events. Prada scurried to hide again as Lydia pulled her mother up to the window, watching from behind the closet.

"Lydia, look what I found, those berries you like for your paintings." Jennifer could tell something was wrong, a confident air to the girl she called her daughter that wasn't usually so apparent.

So when she started mumbling about the lanterns, she worked quickly to shoot her down. One thing she couldn't have was Lydia leaving the tower, learning her true heritage and leaving Jennifer alone to rot. "We talked about this darling, it's scary out there, you wouldn't be able to hand-"

Lydia interrupted without a thought, eyes fixed on her mother's as her voice became raised. "But mother, I can handle myself. If you'd just listen for once."

Jennifer's eyes turned dark as Lydia raised her voice, slightly larger stature towering with ease over the 5"3 blonde. "You are not leaving this tower, not for stars, not for anything. You could be killed out there, then what would I do?"

Lydia took a deep breath, nodding in defeat. Her back-up plan now needed to play out, which meant getting rid of her mother for a few days. "I-I just thought that maybe books were a better present for my birthday. Maybe a few on astrology, so I can remap the stars, clearly I did something wrong before."

"Okay my flower. I'll see you in a few days." She kissed the top of her head, hand caressing her long blonde locks, before she left on the long trip.

Without wasting another second, she pulled the boy from the closet and tied him to a chair, bat poised in her hands. She stated for a while, mapping his features as Prada sniffed him, trying to sense his trustworthyness by scent. He had decided he was seemingly good, when the boy let out a groan, caramel eyes slowly fluttering open. "What happened? Where am I?"

Lydia watched as Prada scurried away, taking a step forward to inspect him closely. Her eyes widened as she saw him looking around, a look of awe in her eyes as he spoke. When he started to fight against the restraints, she hit him in the head again, ignoring the look Prada gave her. "What? He was trying to escape."


	3. Chapter 2

**A/N: **Here's the next chapter. Thank you to the reviewers from chapter one, miizx3ela, Dodge 1989 and Guest. I hope you enjoy this chapter. :)

Chapter Two

As soon as he woke, Stiles' head was pounding, working to fill in the blanks as he looked around the room. The last thing he remembered was scaling the tower, on the run from the twins, and now he found himself expertly tied to a chair. The only conclusion he could draw wasthat he'd been stupid enough to climb into one of McCalls traps.

"Escaping is futile, I have a bat." The voice echoed the room as he searched, a little relieved to find the voice was unfamiliar, clearly belonging to the figure in the shadows. "I have hidden your possessions because I need you. Your crown will be returned to you when you have taken me to see the floating lights."

Stiles scoffed at the request, watching as a girl came out of the shadows. There was no denying she was beautiful, with ridiculously long blonde hair and bright green eyes, but he wasn't going to let her beauty distract him from the matter at hand, escaping from the tower and making a small fortune on the stolen jewels. "Look, I'd love to take you to the floating lights but that crown, not really mine. I need to get rid of it and fast so I need that back. Then you can see the princess lanterns but you don't want to go with me. I'm a well known vigilante, the King has his guards watching me ninety-nine per cent of the time."

Lydia rolled her eyes as he tried to charm her into submission. Clearly he thought she was an idiot, somebody who would become confused at his ramblings and accept his reasonings, but she could tell she was much smarter than he was, knowing how to make a deal. "Or, you take me to see the floating lights, and I don't knock you out again and turn you in to the kingdoms guards? As soon as I've seen the lights, you will get back your stolen treasures and I will help you escape the guards."

She saw the cogs turning until he eventually sighed in defeat. As soon as she untied the ropes, she scooped up Prada into her arms before walking to the window. "Are you coming?" She looped her hair over the hook hanging outside her window, preparing herself to scale down the tower. "You may want to hold on tight."

Not long after, they were walking in silence through the woods, Lydia rethinking over her plan, certain it was ridiculous now she was walking with a criminal. "What's your story?"

Stiles shook his head quickly, tearing down wanted posters as they walked. "Oh no, I don't do tragic backstory time. I want to get this over with and have it be relatively painless."

That was a surprise to her but she didn't push it, instead she let herself think out loud. "Am I horrible? Am I am awful person? I shouldn't have left. I should go back. But this is going to be fun. This is good, I'm never going back." She took a deep breath, stomach grumbling as she walked, realising she hadn't eaten since breakfast.

At the sound of her stomach, Stiles thought of an opportuntity to end this insufferable journey, any hint of attraction fading away with the constant ramblings of the girl. "You know, I'm sure there is a place just up here where we can get a good meal, it's called the uh, the Wolf Pack."

Reluctantly, Lydia agreed to go off the track, seeing the building approaching as close as Stiles had said. However, once inside, she felt her stomach turn, Prada shaking in her arms. The men inside all turned to stare, various weapons being sharpened as they recognised Stiles. "And they must have raised the bounty hanging over my head. You sure leaving the tower was a good thing?"

Meanwhile, back at the tower, Jennifer had returned, having forgotten her coin purse in her hurry to leave. When she called for Lydia, a chill went up her spine, the usual bubbly reply not coming. "Lydia? Lydia let down your hair." The reply never came, but she saw paper blowing in the breeze, bending down to find a folded wanted poster, knowing now that Stiles Stilinski was the man. The man who had taken her ticket to eternal youth. As soon as she could get her hands on him, he would pay the price.


	4. Chapter 3

A/N: I'm sorry for the wait, uni work piled up, and I had no time to write. Thanks to Dodge1989 for the review and everyone supporting this story. I also had a tad bit of writers block so I apologise for the shortness of this chapter. I will be posting a Stydia one shot I wrote a while back this week to make it up to you guys. :)

Chapter Three

As soon as they'd walked in, Derek recognised the boy, knew the price the authorities would pay for him. "You shouldn't have come here, there's a lot of people here who would hand you in, pocket the cash. Me included."

Lydia stood behind Stiles, knees shaking as she looked around at the various muscular men, somehow knowing they would show no mercy to her once they took Stiles. If they handed him over, she would have lost her chance, her only hope of fulfilling her dream lost, and she wasn't going to let that happen.

It didn't take long for the group to grab him, fighting in a disorderly fashion, trying to be the one to get the bounty all for themselves, acting as if he were a ragdoll children were fighting over. Seeing her chances slip through her fingers, she jumped onto a table, hands cupping her mouth to get her words as loud as possible. "Hey. Let him go."

The room fell into silence, all eyes on her as she shouted. She could feel the glares, weapons pointed towards her, her heart falling to the put of her stomach as one of the thugs questioned her motives.

"Well, you see, it's my dream to see the floating lights, up close, and he is sort of my ticket to getting there. Please, just until tomorrow night, let him go."

Lydia watched as the biggest man, Derek, looked between a few people. From a girl holding a bow to a girl with a sword before his gaze landed on a sinister man in the corner. She saw him contemplate the idea, a smirk on his features that seemed permanently etched there. Finally, he gave a nod, eyes still lingering on Lydia as Derek turned back to Stiles.

"You're lucky she's here Stilinski, next time you won't be so lucky. Unless you want to help us achieve our dreams as well." The crowd roared with laughter, a few members actually contemplating Derek's idea, suggestions being shouted over the noise.

"Love."

"Control."

"Power."

The last one, coming from the man who was still watching Lydia, sent shivers down the young girls spine. She took one last glance as Stiles sorted the arrangements of escape with Derek. His eyes seemed to glow with a hunger, that perhaps his dream wasn't so far fetched.

"Lyds, come on, tall dark and moody has an escape hatch." She could feel his eyes following her as she made her way to the hatch, letting Derek help her down. Once her feet were on the ground, she helped pull Stiles down, unable to shake the eerie feeling left resonating with her.

Peter Hale was a man of few dreams but when he had a plan, it was never small. His dreams were of grandure and the second he saw the girl enter the tavern, he knew exactly who she was, and exactly how he could exploit her naivety. He'd be powerful soon enough, but first he needed help and he knew just how to get what he wanted. After all, he knew how grateful the King and Queen would be.


	5. Chapter 4

A/N: I am so sorry for this wait. I've had work and uni assignments that have drained me and had a little personal drama but I have two weeks now to write so I will get as much of this story written as possible.

Almost as soon as their feet landed, the trap door swung close. Lydia started to walk down the path set out before them but Stiles raised a hand, shaking his head and pointing up. It didn't take long for Lydia to follow his instructions, listening in to what was happening above.

If there was one thing Jenifer knew, it was that any person who had either her daughter or information on her whereabouts, would be drinking at the Wolf Pack. She was certain of it, but she also knew the loyal patrons had a particular fee, a price she couldn't pay.

If there was one thing Peter Hale knew, it was that Jenifer Blake would be looking for the princess. It was something he'd kept tabs on, the young girl, locked in that tower by the woman, powers used to heal her scars, to keep her young. He also knew that she had an agreement with his nephew, that she stay in Jenifers possession, an agreement that most adhered to. Peter however, was a man of treachery, always ready to double cross. So when Jennifer walked into the dimly lit room, his wolf like grin grew just a little wider, eyes twinkling in what little light there was.

"Miss Blake, it's good to see you. I hear you need some assistance."

The woman rolled her eyes but pulled out a bag if gold from her skirt, handing it to the man.

"Half now, half later, when my daughter is returned to me. I trust you can find her Peter." She watched him take the bag and inspect the contents, knowing she couldn't trust the eldest surviving Hale, but he was good at his job, she'd just have to stay vigilant.

Meanwhile, in the passageway, Lydia was watching Stiles, her face now pale as she pulled on his sleeve.

"We have to run. Right now we have to go." There was an urgency to her voice as she took off down the dark tunnel, her dress and long hair becoming damp as the sewage water level increased. She wished she had a way of looking where she was going, which is when the idea hit. Under her breath, she muttered the song, hair illumanating the tunnel in an creepy orange hue.

Stiles stared in shock, not completely sure what had just happened. "What the heck is that?" He stumbled forward, tripping on his way to touch the glowing tresses and hitting his head hard on the ground. As he stood, his ankle gave way and he was forced to hobble through the tunnel.

"Didn't I tell you about the magic glowing hair?" She grinned at him before she saw the blood trickling down from his forehead. "Come on, we'll go find the exit then I can take care of that."

It took them at least half an hour, with Lydia half carrying the thief most of the way, but they eventually found the exit. Lydia climbed the stairs, which took them to the depths of the forrest. She was glad for the shelter from the trees, taking a seat on a nearby log.

Once Stiles had taken a seat, she tore a strip from her skirt, taking it over to the lake to clean it before returning to his side.

"Put this on your head wound to clean it, and wrap some of my hair around your ankle."

Bewildered, Stiles followed the instructions, unsure what was about to happen. As she started to sing, he suppressed a laugh, amusement slipping away as her hair began to glow again, the pain lifting from his ankle.

"H-how do you... That's... That was incredible." He blinked a few times before standing, testing his now healed ankle.

"I'm gonna try and sleep for a while, you take first watch. We can have an explanatory heart to heart once I've rested." She grinned at him before rolling her eyes as he started to jump, making sure he hadn't gained a super powered ankle. Underneath the tough exterior, he really was a giant dork.

Lydia moved to find a spot of soft ground, curling into herself as her eyes slowly closed, blissfully unaware of the glowing eyes in the treetops.


	6. Chapter 5

_ Wide green eyes greeted her, fingers brushing gently through her short curls as she squirmed in her crib. _

_"You're so lucky little girl, my little Lydia." She looked to the woman with wide eyes, seeing the similarities between herself and the lady but unable to do anything, frozen in sleep. She didn't understand it, but the woman made her feel calm, made her feel warm. "Princess Lydia."_

_The next minute, the woman had disappeared, replaced with her mother, or who she assumed was her mother, her face scared as she cut a strand of her hair. _

Stiles watched her as she slept, unable to stop smiling at how peaceful she looked. He quickly shook his head, running his hands through his hair to keep them busy. No connections, they were the rules. So when he heard her screaming, he hesitated before rushing over, wrapping his as around her shoulders.

"Shh, it's okay, I'm here. Shh." He gently ran his hand through her hair, kissing the top of her head without a thought. Obviously it meant nothing, he felt nothing for the annoying girl who was dragging him on the stupid adventure. He certainly didn't like her, and he especially didn't love her.

Lydia didn't know what had happened, one minute she was sleeping, the next she was screaming. She could feel arms around her and looked back, breath calming after a while.

"I'm okay, just a bad dream. Felt a little real. But it doesn't matter, it's nothing." Shaking her head, she looked to the trees where Prada had started to bark. "Prada, what is it baby?"

When she saw the shadow, she shrieked, falling back into Stiles' arms. The thief felt rigid as the man stepped forward. He was tall and muscular, but he had a kind face and she didn't understand why Stiles looked terrified.

"Stilinski. I am McCall from the kings guard, and you are wanted for crimes against the state. Robbery of the crown jewels, kidnapping this young gi-"

Lydia stepped forward as he spoke, smiling to the man to cut him off. "Excuse me sir, this isn't a kidnapping. Now it's my birthday, and this man here is taking me to see the floating lights, so I need him for like, twenty four hours, then you can have him."

Scott and Stiles both looked to each other, glaring as they thought over Lydia's proposition.

It was Stiles who broke the silence, thinking more about Lydia, how it was her he wanted to be happy. "Okay, fine, but I'm not making it easy for him. And he doesn't get to watch the lights with us."

Lydia grinned, scooping up Prada before begining to walk away, frowning when she didn't hear footsteps behind. "Come on, we need to get to town."


End file.
